Salvation
by Type-0x
Summary: After attempting to take her own life, Lynn had been put into a medically induced coma, and was transported into a different world where she has no memory of who she is. Sequel to "Overburdened". Loud House belongs to Nickelodeon. Rated M as a precaution. Episode 2 coming soon.
1. Prelude

Salvation

~prelude~

 _-Author's notes- I understand I closed "Overburdened " without answering the big question, and to raise further questions... I do this to establish ambiance and to raise those important question. Overburdened closed the first half of the story and I ended it the way I did intentionally so I can answer those questions in the second half. Thank you so much for your support and please keep reading, we'll close out Lynn's story with a spiritual quest a trial that could prove far more challenging than what she experienced in reality as she seeks to find herself again. -t0x_

The city was filled with the sound of sirens, steady traffic moved aside for the emergency vehicle and some escorted by police interceptor. One was a black and green 2009 Dodge Challenger inside the back seat was Luna, in Sam's comforting embrace, the passenger Lincoln, staring out the window aimlessly only thinking of Lynn. The driver, Sam and Luna's friend Corey, his eyes focused on the vehicles in front of him, ready to follow any change in direction."

The car ahead was a 2016 Ford Focus driven by Lori and in the passenger seat was Luan eyes a washed with tears, using the car's phone feature they called their mother's cell phone .

"Yes mom, we're on our way to the hospital right now!"

 _*Hospital!? Lori what's going on!?*_ Rita frantically asked.

Unable to keep strong Lori's tears flowed profusely taking long, heavy inhales through her nose.

"Lynn literally tried killing herself!" Those grim words instantly made Luan's sobs resume.

 _*Oh dear God no!*_ Rita exclaimed in absolute disbelief.

"We seen the whole thing, she jumped from the roof of the mall! Please hurry and get to the hospital! We need everyone there!"

 _*Don't worry! We're on our way!*_ Their mother exclaimed, trying to keep up the appearance of strength only to be that of false bravery.

Brosco took command of the interceptor in front of the Louds, remaining silent and thinking only of the girl inside the ambulance. Remembering the reason why he helped the Louds in the first place. As the Ambulance pulled up to the emergency room entrance, nurses and a physician assistant stood ready to assist EMTs ascertain the situation.

Quickly, they unloaded the gurney with Lynn lying on it, teetering between consciousness and unconsciousness. An EMT tried to rouse her attention to no avail.

Within seconds her siblings rushed to her side frantic and desperate they tried reaching out to her only to receive a weakened glance.

"Lynn! I'm sorry about what I said! Please don't die!" Luna exclaimed as she held on to Lynn's left hand in an emotional heap. "I was a terrible sister! Please forgive me!"

"For God's sake get her out of here!" The nurse exclaimed as Lori grabbed the rocker girl.

"No one needs to be in here until the doctor has examined her!"

Inside the examination room the nurses and pa prepared the room to begin Lynn's treatment. As the emergency room doctor stepped in and seen Lynn lying on the bed, he sighed at the sight, as he remembered her from the event that unfolded months prior.

* * *

In the waiting room, the siblings watched as their family flooded in, instantly they ran to their mother with abundance of tears and embraces. Even the families of the Loud children's friends came to give their support. Mr and Mrs Sharp Sam's parents, even Corey's sisters Sylvia, Amy, and Kate. Bobby and Ronnie Anne arrived with Rita, Lynn sr and the remaining brood and Haiku. But standing on the sidelines avoiding the crowd, the skateboarding boy a look of distress sketched across on his face.

Brosco walked up to the ER doctor as he exited the room Lynn occupied, he handed him the empty baggie and the doctor nodded then entered the room again. He walked up to Rita and Lynn sr, both in tears and in the comfort of their children.

"Mr and Mrs Loud..." He said in a comforting tone.

"Officer Brosco? Is Lynn going to be ok?" Rita asked.

"They're running blood tests and x-rays on her now. When she fell her right arm cushioned her fall, there is one bone obviously broken, but they want to look for additional breaks or fractures, and she has a mild concussion." He explained the status to them as he recalled from the doctor.

"Why blood tests?" Lynn sr asked. Brosco looked at Lisa believing she had any comments of the situation, only to see her writing in her notepad.

"Because Lynn was recently pregnant, they wanted to check hormone levels, and for any current pregnancy. The additional test is for any drugs in her system."

"Drugs!?" Leni exclaimed her eyes red from crying.

"She attempted suicide, and when I found her she was obviously under the influence. But this is standard in any treatment. Failed suicide, scraped knee or anything in-between." He explained.

"Could you blame her? That poor baby didn't get a chance at life... And in regards to the father... He's a prick!" Luna said with bitterness.

"If I see that little asshole come in here I'll literally turn him into a human pretzel!" Lori exclaimed.

"I can beat that! I'll turn him into my personal back scratcher!" Lana exclaimed.

"Calm down kids, this isn't the time or place to talk about this!" Rita said calmly.

The family and their friends talked as they waited for an hour waiting on the doctor, passing the time anyway they could, trying to distract themselves from sorrow and to be thankful that Lynn was alive.

* * *

Inside the room the nurses, removed Lynn's shoes and stored them away, then began cutting away her clothing, from top to bottom until her nude, under weight body was exposed, they covered her with a blanket then worked on resetting the bone which they fused together with steel rods and screws, they then applied the cast to her forearm then elevated it. After this the doctor left to check for lab results. And the nurse began to dress her in a gray gown.

After a long wait, the pa walked out to meet with the Louds.

"She is stabilized, so if you want some of you can go in and see her." She said in an assuring tone. With that, Rita, Lynn sr, Lincoln and Leni quickly walked followed her to the room.

They looked in to see her, lying in the bed, connected to a machine that continuously monitored her vital signs, sedated and unable to move. The sight was too much for them to bare for Lynn was the most active of the family, seeing her on the opposite end was something they never wanted to have happened.

"She looks so terrible..." Leni said as her chin trembled sorrowfully.

Rita walked over to her side and stroked her thick and silky brown hair, and kissed her paled freckle peppered cheek. her eyelids fluttered open then closed back.

"Lynn sweetie? It's mom... Can you hear me?"

Hearing her warm comforting voice, Lynn attempted to speak only able to get out a hoarse and weak delivery of syllables.

"...M,mom.. I-I.." she struggled to speak as Rita stroked her bangs.

"Don't worry about talking, just as long as I know you're still with us..."

"Mr and Mrs Loud?" A monotonous voice projected from the doorway gaining their attention quickly. "I'm Dr. Ranney. Can I see you both outside for a moment please?"

"Of course..." Lynn sr replied. "Honey..."

"I'll be right back."

Leni then moved beside Lynn as their parents exited the room.

"Hey little sis..." She said with a scratchy voice.

* * *

Outside the room, the doctor met with the parents regarding her status.

"We have her on an antihistamine to act as a sedative, but it won't last." The doctor said in a serious tone.

"The test results regarding her hormones were normal, and a negative pregnancy test. But what was the cause for concern was the drug screening."

Both Rita and her husband consumed with suspense listened to what the doctor had to say.

"We found a combination of Alprasolam, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Sertraline and Phencyclidine. All in moderate to high dosages."

The revelation made it clear that Lynn's life was still hanging in the balance. And both parents felt helpless against the obstacle now in front of them.

"All of those are in a cocktail that's become popular with teens lately." Brosco added.

"Mr Loud, Mrs Loud... The only thing left we can do is to begin detox, but with the levels of meds in her system, the only way that is safe involves inducing her into a coma..."

Both parents faced with a difficult decision, they looked at each other and Rita began trembling, and her face began to grimace. All he could do was comfort his frightened wife.

"If she was to detox in the conventional method... The combination of these narcotics would result in withdrawals so severe that it could throw her into cardiac arrest, and most likely would kill her by the end of the night, this is the safest way... She will be given medication intravenously and she will sleep through the withdrawals, then we will slowly pull her out of sedation."

Rita and Lynn sr looked at each other once more, this time Rita nodded in agreement, both parents seeking only what was best for her.

"Ok, just please! Save my little girl!"

"Absolutely, she's in excellent hands." The doctor said as he patted their shoulders.

* * *

Dr. Ranney began the procedure with the aid of his assistant. Two smaller bags for her iv fluids where brought in, each containing medication used for the detoxification process. And one syringe filled with a strong sedative and anesthetic.

"Miss Loud? We're about to give you some anesthetic for pain, and a sedative, it shouldn't take long to take effect." He talked to her gently as he began to administer the injection. As the fluid ran through the tube it made it's way to her bloodstream, she felt the warmth radiate through her left arm, quickly she felt the effects of the anesthetic. Her vision blurred as her mind drifted to a state of calm, memories of her family, her friends, her accomplishments in sports, even moments with her past love, and the painful memories that led to her state of degradation.

Her eyelids fell heavily, her mind finally slowed enough for sleep though forced by a chemically induced coma.

"She's sedated and stable doctor." Ranney's assistant relayed as she read Lynn's vital signs.

"Ok, start an NG tube, and begin the first round of medication, then move her to ICU." He ordered as he looked at the girl laying still on the hospital bed.

"Yes doctor..."

"Fourteen... She's only fourteen... And she's been through so much..." The pa said with some sadness in her voice.

"I know... My oldest daughter goes to school with her."

"My baby sister is a grade behind her." She said as she shook her head.

"To lose a child so soon at such a young age... I could never imagine losing any of mine... We just need to hope for the best... For her and her family..."


	2. Chapter 1 Another World

Salvation

Part 1: Another World

Three days passed by quickly since Lynn turned away from her family and friends. On the third day, she attempted suicide so that she could rid herself of her anguish, only it wasn't the end for Lynn Loud.

The storm moved in quickly, lightning striking frequently, the wind howling loudly as it wrapped the torrential rain in the savage force left most of the city without power. The hospital's backup generators powered on automatically, allowing essential areas to resume functions, one such area being the fifth floor Intensive Care Unit, room 519, occupied by one Lynn Loud.

Heavily sedated, allowing a medical detox treatment to run it's course. Her family and friends alternating on who gets to stay in the room with her, the rest occupying the waiting room. Half the group went home while the rest remained at the hospital, only to alternate accordingly. Lincoln and Lisa were the only two in the room with their comatose older sister, watching carefully for anything to change. The nurse swapped out her IV fluids and medication bags, then checked her vital signs, right down to checking her NG tube and catheter.

"This is one of the most worst things to deal with." Lincoln said quietly to himself.

"None of the events that took place could have been avoided. Lynn's mental health status declined even before her daughter–" Lisa said in an unintentionally harsh, lispy tone.

"For once can you stop with your logical BS? That's our sister laying there! And that was our niece we lost that night!"

"I'm merely stating facts. She caved to peer pressure, and thus... Engaged in sexual intercourse, was impregnated. The hormones associated with pregnancy can also lead to chemical imbalances in the brain. And with external stimuli added to the equation... I.E. rumors, confrontation, mounting stress, then ultimately with the premature birth of the infant and finally–" she was interrupted by a throat being cleared.

"Are you even hearing yourself!?" Luna said with a quiet yell. "If anything! You should learn to ease up with the logic!"

"I'm a woman of science, I don't have time for such rhetoric."

"You don't have a degree yet! But you think you know it all. What five year old acts like you? You have, like what... one friend?" Lincoln added.

"Better to have few than to have peers that wear a facade of friendship." Both Luna and Lincoln, frustrated with their second youngest sister, stormed out of the room to join the others in the waiting room, leaving Lisa with the sounds of the storm and machines monitoring Lynn's vital signs, of which were distributing medications and fluids through out her body.

"Fate is so unkind, isn't it sporty?" Lisa said quietly to her older sister. Seeing no expression on Lynn's face only gave her a feeling of unease. "Seeing you like this, absolutely catatonic... no movement whatsoever... is emotionally distressing and mentally jarring. The more I see you this way... The more it pains me." Luna and Lincoln stood in the doorway, listening to Lisa finally open up her emotions and her thoughts as a sister and not as a scientist. "I may not be open with my family, but this is one time I will make an exception... Lynn, please leave this hospital alive and well. We all want this, so please, please pull through..." Lisa then took off her glasses and rubbed away tears from her eyes. Luna and Lincoln, stunned by what they just witnessed, sat by Lisa and comforted their genius sister.

Some time later, the storm passed and power was restored. The Louds slept in the waiting room and the nurses made their nightly rounds, checking the vital signs of the patients. In 519, a nurse left after starting a new IV bag and emptying her urinal. Soon Lynn's eyebrows began to quiver as if experiencing a dream, or a nightmare.

* * *

"You must be a masochist!" a woman's cold gravelly voice echoed from the blackness. "Hit her again!" she growled. [I was unsure of whom the woman is speaking to but I would assume the victim, thus the change in words]

"This is far too easy, m'lady!" another woman spoke opposite of her. Soon a whip of white hot flames ignited, illuminating a small area and revealing a woman crouched over, her face hidden by her brown hair, her nude body trembling while riddled with lacerations, welts, and even burns, obviously subjected to unspeakable tortures. The wielder burned as brightly as her savage instrument of punishment. She swiftly brought the whip behind her and, with all her might, swung it forward, generating a loud crack, one that would lead anyone to believe that thunder was roaring around them.

The victim yelped in agony as the spined tail left cuts and spark burns in her flesh. The woman dug her nails into the earth beneath her.

"Are you so daft that you would allow us to pummel you like this!?" The first woman screamed from the shadows. The victim looked up to see red eyes glowing in the seemingly endless dark. The figure then stepped forward, her bangs covered most of her face, the only parts visible being her lips. At first glance, they appeared normal but soon with, a twisted, menacing grin, what was revealed was the contrary for she had mouth full of pointed, razor sharp, shark-like teeth. "Well well, Silent are we?" she snarled as she grasped the face of the young woman, talons taking the place of normal digits.

"Hit her again! This time... Make the little bitch scream for mercy!" Within seconds, the flame-enveloped mistress of torture resumed her onslaught with her whip, each lashing drawing whines and trickles of blood from her victim's body. Before long, the tortured woman screamed in anguish, writhing in searing pain louder and louder with each brutal attack.

Lying broken, bloody and battered in a fetal position, the woman buckled to the lashings. She whined in agony as her tormentors loomed over her. Possessing a bucket of cold water, the razor toothed woman leered over their victim and splashed her with the icy fluid. The victim screamed and flopped about on the ground gasping desperately for air as she crawled away from them.

"Dress her and put her in chains. She's finished," the woman leading the torment said as she tossed the receptacle.

The flames from the whipping woman died down and she discarded her tool on a flat boulder, right next to a pile of linen strewn sloppily on the slab of rock. She tossed the clothing to the cowering woman.

"You have five minutes..." She said with a stern tone. Nightfall came and the woman was held prisoner in a stone tower, her wrists shackled and suspended from the ceiling, likewise with her neck. She had little freedom of movement but with the torture she endured, she didn't have the energy to try and escape. She looked up and peered up at the hole in the roof, a makeshift skylight to remind any prisoner there that freedom sat just out of their reach.

* * *

At the Royal Woods high school football field, Lincoln sat on the bleachers, trying to distract himself from the incident at the middle school but his surroundings only served as a reminder of a much more dire pain, forcing him to think back to Lynn's first major win with her football team. He wiped the tears from his eyes, thinking he heard something in the stadium.

"Hey Lincoln." A deadpan voice called out beside him. He looked to his right to see a girl holding a parasol. It was Haiku, Lucy's best friend and Clyde's girlfriend.

"Oh. hey, Haiku. What're you doing here?"

"Checking on you. You cut out early," she said with concern. She walked up and sat next to the troubled boy and adjusted her parasol to block the sunlight, then turned back to Lincoln and made eye contact with him.

"So, did Clyde send you?" he asked defiantly.

"No, Lucy texted me from the hospital. She asked me to check on you." He peered into her deep blue eyes and saw sincerity, allowing him to lower his defenses. "So, I think I may have an answer to this but... that rumor that was going around..." She approached the topic as delicately as she possibly could.

"Of course it's not true... And Clyde kept bugging me about it too."

"So that's why you shoved him. I'll talk to him. You two are best friends after all. Shouldn't let it end over a falsehood." She shot Lincoln a half smile to give him assurance.

"It wasn't fair," Lincoln said with sorrow building in his throat. Haiku looked at her troubled friend with increasing concern. "What happened to Lynn wasn't fair. The moment Francisco heard that Lynn was pregnant, he dumped her. Then the rumors, they were nonstop. Next came that fateful night... her screams... for five hours straight, she screamed in pain. Then a baby cried and suddenly stopped," Lincoln recounted the night in horrible detail. "And Lynn... It took all of us to calm her down. But when we left the hospital, she was never the same."

"Lucy told me the same thing. To lose an elder relative is one thing, but to lose a child before they had a chance to fully live... It's far more tragic," said the gothic girl as she lowered her head. She heard sniffing coming from the white haired boy and looked to see that he had started to cry again.

"Lincoln..."

"Are you going to tell me the same shit I've been hearing from our classmates? How guys shouldn't cry!? I'm fucking sick of it!" he exclaimed in frustration.

"Of course not…" Lincoln looked up, surprised by Haiku's response.

"Crying because you're concerned for your sister shows you have a kind and warm heart... those tears you shed for her and her late daughter are cleansing... they're of healing." Noticing the clouds covering the sun, Haiku lowered her parasol and opened her arms to Lincoln, welcoming him in his fragile state. "Let me help you," she said in a voice that was soothing to him. He buried his head in her shoulder, sobbing as she stroked his hair in a calming and chaste manner. His sobbing grew louder as she held him. For a long while she comforted him.

* * *

The captive woman looked up to see the fast approaching dawn. She tugged on her chains to check for any links weakened by weathering, only to meet with disappointment. As she plotted escape, she felt drops of rain falling through the opening.

* * *

In ICU room 519, a nurse wiped Lynn's forehead with a cleansing wipe, cleaning away dried sweat from her skin.

"Okay, miss Loud, I'll be back in an hour," she said kindly to Lynn despite her unconscious state. She then looked over to Lucy with a warm smile. "Is there anything I can get you sweetheart?" Lucy looked up, with one icy blue eye uncovered.

"No thanks," she said monotonously. It was then that Amy and Kate walked in to check on the Louds. Kate looked at her student and friend with a look of deep sadness.

"Damn girl. Why this?" she said to herself. Amy rested her hand on her sister's shoulder. She leaned over and held her left hand, in hopes to show Lynn that she wasn't alone. Lucy, watching on, saw that even Lynn's mentor had more to show than her ex boyfriend, who had yet to see her, if not only to give his sympathies.

"Hang in there Lynn-tensity, we've got your back." Kate said with a smile.

"Lucy, your parents wanted to see you," Amy said as she looked at her with her half lidded eyes. Lucy, saying nothing walked out, followed by Kate leaving Amy behind with Lynn. Amy looked at the comatose girl and shared the deep agony with her family. As an older sister, a daughter, and an aunt, she could only empathize further with them. She reached over her shoulders and pulled a hemp cord over her head from around her neck. Attached was another crystal, an amethyst.

"Lynn Loud, it is to you that I pass this crystal. One that will help you through this trying time. May its energy fill you and heal your shattered soul and may it guide you to your family and friends." Amy then placed the crystal in the palm of Lynn's casted hand and placed her own hands on it, then pause for a moment of silence. She then kissed Lynn's forehead and leaned up. "Blessed be, young Lynn." She then walked off, allowing Lynn's family to have their time with her.

* * *

Lightning and thunder clashed above the stone tower. Standing upon it's minaret, a hooded figure wielding a large hook shaped sword gazed down at the captive woman.

"It's time your majesty," she said with a low tone, her voice identical to Kate.

"Who? Who's there?" the captive spoke softly, weakened by the repetitive beatings.

"There's no time. She's been held hostage by the Malfested," the sword wielder continued.

"Who has? I don't know what–"

"The Malfested one. She tortured you and left you without memories. She has captured the little princess, your daughter!" Suddenly, images flashed in the woman's mind. Lynn's memories began to fill her empty thoughts. "She's in danger, m'lady. Now is your chance to find your way back home and save your princess!" Her will returned, the captive shuddered her way to her feet. In her right hand a crystal appeared glowing softly and her wounds healed rapidly with strength returning to her muscles. Her determination exploded within her core, her eyes filled with ambition.

She let out a war cry then, starting with her right arm, she pulled the first chain from the rocky walls and quickly pulled the next from its own anchoring. Then, with all her might, she snapped the chain wrapped around her neck. The broken woman, now renewed, gazed at an afterimage of a girl executing parkour moves. Taking this as a guide, the woman followed it. With continuous momentum, she made her way to a foothold, the opening now just within her reach. She twirled the chains in unison with them clinging to two bunches of wrought iron.

She quickly lunged upward, each foot of slack in the chain she used to build more speed until she found herself hurled out of the opening and the tower altogether. She soared through the air, all but one half of her chains left draped on the tower's peak. She landed firmly on the ground, panting from the rush she experienced, taking in the freedom she had not felt for what seemed like ages.

Landing beside her, a sword styled like a Japanese Katana, a sleevless robe tied to it. The woman looked up to see the swordswoman taking her leave from the tower top. The former captive looked around for a moment and happened upon a small body of water. She ran over to it and swallowed handful after handful of the life giving liquid. She looked to her left to see a small sheet of paper revealed to be a photograph.

She examined the picture of a brown haired girl wearing red shorts and a tank top, along with a group of other girls. She then looked at the water once more. The ripples steadied and revealed the woman's identity to be that of Lynn.

"Is that me?" She said with much confusion. She looked up to see on the horizon a world of chaos and decay. She had no recollection of who she was or where. Stricken with amnesia and alone in this strange land, she only dwelt on the thought of a child that needed saving. Feeling something solid in her hand, she looked down to see an amethyst crystal, a dot of light within the gem pointing to her right. She looked the way the light pointed and, with the same ambition returning to her eyes, she grabbed the robe and the sword and quickly followed the light. Where it was to take her, she would soon find the answer.


	3. Chapter 2: The Hollow

Salvation

Part 2: The Hollow

Air sterilizers were placed all throughout the room Lynn occupied. Used to ward off diseases, they are in place in each room in the ICU. The silent hum they emit can generate a form of white noise, calming, relaxing, yet also haunting.

"Mr and Mrs Loud?" The male PA said quietly as the rest of the Loud children slept.

"How is she!?" Rita quietly exclaimed.

"There's still a while to go on her detox, but this morning we attempted to pull her out of sedation. She went into shock and aspirated on her own vomit."

"Is she ok!?" Lynn Sr. said in his panic.

"She's fine. It was nothing life threatening but we had to sedate her again, so we know she'll remain stable until the medication and antibiotics run their course."

"Antibiotics? What's going on!? Why does she need antibiotics!?" Rita exclaimed as her anxiety elevated. The panicked mother then tried to move past the PA.

"I'm sorry but we can't let you in yet until we get her room prepared," he said as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Why can't we see her!?" Lynn Sr. raised his voice, unintentionally waking some of their children. The assistant lowered his hand and sighed.

"Ms. Loud has pneumonia." His words fell heavily on the parents who only hoped for the quick recovery of their fifth oldest child.

"What!? How!?" Rita said in disbelief.

"It's possible she had come into contact with a bacteria when she was away from home and as it progressed, it became an infection that settled in her lungs. It is contagious, so we need to quarantine her room until the antibiotics have taken full effect." Both parents felt lost as they listened to the assistant's prognosis, unaware of the peeping ears. Each of Lynn's siblings there remained silent.

 _"Well what else did you fucking expect!?"_

 _"I thought we were careful!"_

Luna, unable to face her family turned to the cushions of the waiting room sofa as she remembered the disagreement she had with Lynn.

 _"That doesn't matter unless he wore a rubber! And now look! You're pregnant and single!"_

 _"I wanted help from my big sister not, a lecture from a raving bitch!"_

 _"Well, you should've kept your fucking legs closed, mate! That's right, cry! Cry like the little girl you are! You fucked up and now you don't know who the dad is!"_

 _"I do know who the dad is!"_

 _"Yeah! Sure! Who are you trying to kid!?"_

 _"I don't need this shit!"_

 _"Don't like what I have to say!? Might as well prepare you for what's coming at ya! Whore! Slut! Sloppy seconds!"_

Every insult that ran through her mind, each one worse than the last, and seeing the pain in Lynn's eyes, her heart breaking further, the tears streaming from her cheeks only made Luna's sorrow intensify. Unable to hold back, Luna began to cry. A tiny whimper came from the guilt ridden rocker. The whimpers quickly turned to sobs, the sounds quickly alerting her family and her girlfriend who had stayed with the Louds overnight.

"Lunes? Baby, what's wrong?" she said with great concern in her voice.

"I'm a horrible sister. If only I was more supportive of her... if only I kept my words to myself... Lynn wouldn't be..." She bawled into Sam's awaiting bosom, tears soaking her blue tank top. "It was my fault she lost Les!" Five of the thirteen Louds gathered around the couple in an attempt to comfort the grief stricken teen.

Back in room 519, nurses finished preparing the room and setting up her medications. Under the mask of the blonde, pixie cut haired nurse a frown of discontent. The wounds on the right side of her face bandaged, her eyelids darkened, bruises now becoming visible. The woman of her mid thirties thought of her only son and what she would feel if he was in the same condition that the Loud girl was in. She heard Lynn's raspy breaths over her oxygen cannula and the beeps of the heart monitor.

She exited the room and disposed of the mask and her gloves. She then pulled her phone from the pocket of her navy blue scrub top, and looked at the picture on her lock screen of herself, her husband, and their son, the same boy whom both Lincoln and Kate encountered. She looked into the room one last time at the girl who suffered the fate that none should ever be burdened with.

* * *

The nameless woman walked on, following the crystal's guiding light. She stopped to see a tattered red scarf draped over a vine, abandoned by it's wearer. She took the ragged cloth into her grasp then wrapped it loosely around her neck, protecting her delicate throat against the cool, brisk wind. She continued her trek for what felt like miles before happening upon a bridge, its canopy partially dilapidated.

"Taking the path of the bridge is a treacherous one," she heard a voice calling, but from where she couldn't find.

"For if he finds you, you will find yourself undone," a second voice projected from the opposite direction of the first. She looked frantically around to find the voices, only to find nothing.

"Above you," the first voice called out again. She looked up to see two small girls perched on tree limbs, both wearing black gowns like that of gothic lolita dolls. Black feathers accented the collars and cuffs, their black hair tied back with red twine.

"Who are you two?" the woman asked.

"We're called the messengers, the voices of fortune–"

"And of doom," they answered with a coldness in their monotonous voices.

"What do you mean by 'If he finds you'?" The messengers looked at each other then glided down to the ground like crows gathering around their prey. They both gazed into the eyes of the nameless woman, their icy blue eyes proving to be chilling to her as they seemed to glow. But the more she looked at them, the more familiar they appeared. Soon an image flashed before her eyes. Two girls, Lynn's younger sister Lucy and with her was Lucy's friend Haiku, and with a blink, the woman saw again the messengers. "What are you–?"

"He is the Highwayman," the one who resembled Haiku said.

"Night and day he patrols, on the hunt without end," Lucy's double followed up. Disturbed by their warning she clenched her sword, still sheathed in it's scabbard. She gazed upon the bridge with intense focus while experiencing an inescapable sensation of unease.

"Just what or who is he hunting?" With her statement, the two glanced at each other knowingly, then once more at the woman.

"He hunts for you, Shattered Queen," they said in unison. The woman, overcome by the messengers statement, looked away from the bridge, shaken by the warning she was given. She glanced at the young girls, then back at the bridge, this time with balled fists in place of her shaking hands. Her resolve still intact, she glanced at the crystal and saw the fixture of light its position adamantly remained on the pathway through the bridge.

"Can you tell me what's beyond the bridge?" Surprised by her response to their warning, the messengers gave a faint smile and separated, making room for her to view.

"Just beyond the bridge is the Hollow. Once you leave there, you'll arrive at the forgotten city–" the first said as she pointed toward the entrance of the degraded structure. "We can guide you after you leave the city to the night witch. She will be of aid to you in your journey." The two then swiftly flew up to the trees once more, allowing the woman passage to the bridge. She began to walk toward the path only to be interrupted by the well spoken girls once again.

"Be warned your majesty. Many have crossed this path–" The shorter haired girl said in a gloomy tone.

"None have returned," both said in unison, with the same air of danger lingering strongly. Despite the warnings from the messengers, she began her crossing of the bridge. The canopy blocked what light the gray clouds covered. Her nostrils were filled with the scent of decaying foliage, the treetops above her seeming to stretch far and wide.

 _Beware... he approaches._

She paused at what she believed was the sound of voices carrying themselves on the wind bellowing through the leafless branches. She looked behind her to see the bridge seemingly swallowed up by the forest and soon she felt as if the hollow was beginning to close in on her. She sought out a shelter from the looming threat and happened upon a large uprooted tree. To her relief, the crevice was deep enough to conceal her.

* * *

Officer Adam Brosco, taking a special interest in Lynn's case, returned to the hospital to check in with the Louds, of whom had alternated once again after another grueling three days. He looked at the nurses station and signaled for a mask before entering the ICU room. He put on the mask over his face quickly, then entered the room.

"Good morning," he greeted quietly.

"Oh! Good morning, Officer Brosco," Rita said with much surprise upon seeing him.

"How's your family holding up?" he asked with genuine concern.

"As okay as we can be. We found out yesterday that she has pneumonia," she said as she held her daughter's hand and stroked her hair.

"That's going to slow down her recovery–"

"I know. Officer, can I ask you something?" Rita asked, cued by Brosco's statement.

"Absolutely."

"Why were you so determined to help us?"

Brosco looked at Rita then at Lynn, his green eyes beginning to fade into a daze, only to see an afterimage of a teenage girl who shared similar traits with the Loud girl.

"Mrs Loud, the truth is..."

 _"The truth is..."_

* * *

The woman remained still as she heard the sound of hooves echoing throughout the hollow. The galloping suddenly, stopped giving her an opportunity to catch a glance at her pursuer. She looked around the woven roots and earth to see the legs of a gray horse. Its rider soon dismounted, the heft from his boots pounding into the moist terrain. She trembled at the sight of the horseman, his tattered clothing and slouched posture only added to the fierce vibe he emitted. What she could make of him was vague, his face completely cloaked by linen wraps with only one glowing red eye exposed and his messy, ash colored hair coming through the fissures in the wraps.

She held her breath as what she assumed to be the Highwayman loomed over her refuge. She caught sight of his sword, a reverse curve scimitar. The serrated edge of the blade, weathered and chipped, still glimmered in the faint light. She closed her eyes to the fearsome rider as she heard what could only be described as sniffing. The Highwayman then drew his weapon and groaned in what appeared to be frustration. His hunt fruitless, he retreated to his steed and slowly rode off, backtracking the path to the forgotten city.

The woman then watched carefully as the terrible sight left the hollow without looking back. She had clenched the hilt of her sword, ready to draw if need be. The further he rode on, the looser her grip became.

"The sooner I get past the city and to the night witch, the better," she said as she gazed at the treetops once more.


	4. Chapter 3: Decay

Salvation

Part 3: Decay

Lucy sat on Lynn's bed, cradling the shoe box in her lap as she fought the temptation to open it. She observed the drops of dried blood soaked into the cardboard; a sign of the tribulations the vessel had been through with its bearer. Normally the sight of such a liquid would bring a smirk to the goth girl's face. However, knowing to whom it belonged, Lucy couldn't find the smile she would usually show.

"Hey, Lucy... Doing alright?" Luan said as she sat down next to her little sister.

"I guess..." Lucy mumbled. Luan, usually a jokester in trying times, didn't jump directly into a pun, prank, or any sort of foolishness, for she knew that her sister needed support from her family and not a joke, even though Lucy didn't outwardly express this need to anyone. Luan could only rely on her instincts as a sister to act as Lucy's rock in this dire situation.

"Lynn's going to make it out of this. I know she will," Luan said as she stroked Lucy's hair and then rubbed her shoulder. "And when she comes home, we're going to throw her a blow-out of a welcome home party." She smiled weakly as she attempted to comfort her bewildered younger sister. Lucy said nothing as she continued to stare at the damaged shoe box, the item now drawing Luan's curiosity. "What do you think Lynn put inside it?" Luan asked.

"I don't know. I've been at odds with myself regarding its contents... and whether or not I should open it," answered Lucy as her petite hands moved to the edge of the lid.

"Go ahead. Whatever's in there can't bethat big a secret." Lucy gently, yet hesitantly, opened the box. The two sisters looked curiously at the contents within the cardboard enclosure, both with a note of disappointment and also relief.

"So... this is what she was hiding?" Luan asked.

"Guess so," Lucy said with a sigh.

* * *

The shattered queen crept through the hollow carefully, constantly looking out in case the Highwayman made his entrance yet again. She realized that she was losing what sunlight bled through the treetops. Unable to sleep for fear that themonstrous swordsman would find her, she listened to the haunting sound of the howling winds amplified by the balding trees.

"If he is here, he would have found me by now," she reassured herself as she tightened her grasp on the sword's hilt, her only real defense against whatever might come her way. After what seemed like an eternity from her point of view, the night was chased away by the dawn as it warmed. Without hesitation, she resumed her trek. Miles that seemed to stretch on for days began to end as she saw the edge of the hollow come into view. The breeze brushed against the creamy skin of her shoulder, invoking an icy chill that radiated up and down her spine.

If you continue, the city will consume you in its corruption...

The woman paused, hearing more clearly the voices that she'd heard the previous day, the ones that possessed the warning of the Highwayman's arrival. She stepped back, hearing the voices had ceased. She looked on as the soft glow of the morning sun beckoned her. She stepped forward again only to hear the voices flood back.

Beware, Shattered Queen. Beware...

Despite the warnings, she continued, each step forward approached with caution. Inch by inch, the exiting path came closer and closer. She peered up to see black clouds quickly and eerily form, thunder rumbling loudly over her head.

Only death lies ahead...

The voices seemed to be following her, clouding her judgment and filling her senses with their cold and stagnant resonance. She looked in every direction the voices seemed to project from, only finding the same vacant trees. The closer she reached the edge of the hollow, the more an odor began to fill her nostrils. Strong, repugnant. The woman had no recollection of her past, but she knew the reek which left knots of nausea in her stomach. The smell that she had came to odds with was that of death, and it riddled the air surrounding her.

Don't look. No matter what, don't look...

Ignoring the warnings the voices held, the woman finally managed to arrive at the edge and see the forgotten city. However, it was not as she had expected. Upon her face was a look of horror. It filled her eyes, her mouth agape from the indescribable sight before her. Streets were filled with the decaying bodies of the deceased inhabitants of the once thriving metropolis, now reduced to amass graveyard. The forgotten city was indeed a city of death.

* * *

Inside ICU 519, Luna sat beside the bed Lynn occupied. Slowly succumbing to fatigue, she dozed off occasionally as she huddled herself into a fetal position, her attention fixed on the slumbering teen. Every stirring movement from Lynn hindered any attempt Luna made at much needed rest and she finally gazed up at the clock.

"Gah! 2:10?" Luna said to herself. She looked back to her sister's bed. "Sis, as much as I want to be by your side, I'm not going to be worth much if I can't get any sleep." Luna stood up and approached Lynn's side groggily, only to feel that familiar lump in her throat return. Tears quickly formed in her glassy eyes. "C'mon, Lynn. Please wake up," Luna whimpered as she brushed Lynn's bangs away and kissed her forehead. "Why… why?"

Before Luna could return to the seat she had occupied, she heard the hushed voice of her younger sister. With wide eyes Luna quickly turned back to Lynn's side to see her face grimaced and pale as if experiencing a nightmare.

"N-no, no," Lynn mumbled as sweat began to stream profusely from her pores.

"Lynn? What's wrong? Talk to me," Luna said quietly as she took Lynn's clammy hand into hers.


	5. Chapter 4: The Long Road Ahead

Chapter 4: The Long Road Ahead.

The foul reek of decay grew stronger as the woman proceeded through the ruined metropolis, overcame by mixed emotions, she tried desperately to seek any life that remained.

"Is anyone out there!?" She cried out, her voice hindered by impending tears of pessimism. Her voice echoed throughout the shattered wreckage seemingly the only living thing in the forgotten city. "Nothing, no survivors..." She said to herself.

As she continued, she happened upon a sight that would prove to be more than the shattered queen could bear. The remains of a swaddled infant face down against the cold earth, she slowly and reluctantly approached the deceased child, her heart and soul crushed by the horror of what lied ahead of her.

"Why? Why?" She whimpered as tears flowed freely from her eyes. "Why did this happen?"

She fell to her knees as she began sobbing unashamedly, mourning the loss of the child whom never truly began to live. She glanced over to see the corpse of a young woman lying on her side apparently disemboweled by an unknown assailant. The only conclusion the nameless heroine came to was that the woman was the infant's by the ordeal she vomited upon the bloodstained pavement.

"No! No! No!" She exclaimed as she tried laboriously to compose herself. Soon her pains subsided then hesitantly she approached the remains of the child and gently placed it in the embrace of it's mother reuniting them posthumously. She kneeled beside the bodies in respect and honored them the one way she felt she could with a brief moment of silence, within the silence her thoughts drifted back to the words of the woman who had spoken to her at the stone tower just before her escape and was reminded of her search for the little princess.

Before long, the nameless woman was alerted to the sound of footsteps coming from all directions, some bare skinned resting daintily against the pavement and gravel, others stamped heavily and scraped against the littered grounds. She prepared her weapon for any potential assault against her.

She looked up to see standing before her, the all too familiar, red eyed, black clad tormentor from the stone tower whom ordered her torturous punishment. She gnarled her teeth with her wickedly malicious grin, black fluid dripping from the corner of her mouth.

"Who, or what the hell are you!?" The shattered queen barked as she unsheathed her weapon.

The sinister creature that took human form known only as the malfested one chortled maniacally asserting her cruelty and rocked the heroine to her core. "Why, have you forgotten already... Your majesty?"

The shattered queen quickly looked behind her to see the ominous Highwayman sword in hand, his predacious stare shredded her psyche as he drawn closer to her.

"It seems you're at the end of the road... And it's high time that I remind you of why the tower was your fate..." The malfested one then raised her hand slowly, until it lined up threateningly with the heroine's line of sight, her knife like talons grazed the shattered queen's lightly freckled face as she closed the distance between them. The malfested one then hovered her idle hand over the abdomen of her amnesia stricken victim.

"Do you remember now?" She coldly whispered as her razor-esque teeth chartered in masochistic pleasure.

Quickly the shattered queen was bombarded by the deafening sound of screams and what could only be described as an infant crying out in agony. She fell to her knees as the world around her fade to black leaving only the three in the remnant haze, the shattered queen then felt her lap warming and moistening rapidly. She opened her tightly closed eyes to see her hand soaked with blood, her attention was then swayed to the location of her immense pain.

"What... What the hell is happening to me!" The heroine shouted out in panic and soon found herself in an ever growing scarlet puddle. The dizzying smell of blood overwhelmed the young woman, mounted on the soul crushing screams and her strength being drained next to nil her blurry vision caught a brief glimpse of the malfested one grasping the fabric covering her own abdomen. Her confusion only intensified at what she had witnessed firsthand.

The screams grew louder with each passing moment, the pain radiating from deep within her left her in a fetal knot writhing in an even worsening agony her perspective was soon warped and distorted into something unworldly then ultimately only the terrible sounds remained.

Back in ICU 519, Luna held Lynn's hand as she writhed and moaned in apparent pain.

"Nurse!" Luna shouted toward the doorway. "Hang on sis, I'm getting help now.."

Lynn's chapped lips then curled over her teeth as she released a scratchy groan from her throat. Her eyes quickly opened, her dilated pupils then restricted and shrank to the size of a ballbearing.

"Lynn? Are you okay?" Asked Luna.

Before Luna could attempt to embrace her younger sister, Lynn erupted into shrieks of hysteria, with breaks of hyperventilation in between each wail. Her screams echoed throughout the intensive care unit and reached all the way to the waiting room. The unmistakable sound woke the resting Louds from a sound sleep.

"Lynn! Snap out of it!" Luna attempted to calm her only to have her words of comfort fall through the proverbial cracks.

"No! No! No!" Lynn screamed aimlessly as Luna held her hand once more. Soon a nurse arrived ready to assist the teen however she could.

"Lynn? Can you hear me? I need you to calm down sweetie, can you do that?" The nurse asked as Lynn's screams began to lessen in intensity.

"Where am I!?" Lynn yelled in a muttered tone, disoriented and shocked by her surroundings.

"You're in the hospital sis... Don't you remember?" Luna asked calmly though confused by her sister's lapse in memory.

"What happened to me!?" Lynn's anxiety began to elevate as she looked upon herself in her scarred state, her arm in a cast, her legs weighed down by a device used to prevent bloodclots from forming, the leads woven under her gown keeping record of her heart rate which now shows her pulse was abnormally high.

Soon the nurse administered a dose of a mild sedative, and within minutes Lynn's shock induced hysteria came to an end. Hours pass by quickly and the sunlight bled through from the east horizon, Luna remained by Lynn's side still somewhat shaken from the experience of the preceding hours. Lynn gazed up at the ceiling after her older sister recollected the events of the last three weeks.

"So... I did jump... It wasn't a dream..." Lynn said as she fought back tears of frustration.

"Yeah, you had us all worried dude..." Luna replied with stark concern in her voice. "I just want to know something sis.." Lynn looked at her older sister, her attention was caught by the tears forming in Luna's fatigued eyes. "Why? Why did you want to kill yourself?"

Lynn peered out at the sight of the sunrise, though she had no answer for her older sister she tried her best to change the subject.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Lynn said with a half smile.

"Huh?" Said Luna, she looked behind to see the sun shining over the clouds giving off an orange glow. Both sisters taking in the wonder of nature, Lynn then looked back at her physical state, the tan she once had faded, her muscle tone gone, and all she felt was the aches and pains throughout her body, however the outer pains she felt was nowhere near par with how she felt spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.

 _"I did it because... I don't think I belong here anymore... I want to be with her..."_

Seven years passed by swiftly in Royal Woods. Most of the Loud children had moved out of their first home to begin their new lives whether it be college, or the start of a career even to start their own families. Lucy now sixteen years old is seated on her bed writing in a random notepad after quickly closing her work she walked over to the bed that was once occupied by Lynn, she stroked the dusty sheets and adjusted the football that rested gently on her pillows.

"I hope she's still ok..." Lucy said with a heavy sigh. She ran her fingers through her bobbed hair and pulled on her tight pants which worked their way up uncomfortably from her seated position. Her blue eyes no longer covered by her bangs glimmered in the soft glow of her lamp. On her night stand a picture of Lincoln with Haiku, a personal triumph to Lucy as their relationship had slowly shifted from acquaintances, to good friends, then one of deep fondness, since then the couple made the announcement of their first child due to be born late December. After a half smile her attention shifted to the framed highschool senior photo of Lynn, no smile, her hair held back with a headband even now Lucy studies the photograph trying to find the truth behind her sister's lack of expression.

The sheets were sprawled out messily across the full sized bed, a young woman lied mostly nude over the silky fabric, she narrowly opened her eyes to the sound of cars passing, the horns blaring from frustrated drivers. Her messy brown hair fell past her shoulders, her bangs cut just below her eyebrows, she looked at her nightstand to see an empty bottle of ever clear, beside it a baggie half full with LSD. She groaned in aggravation as she looked at the time on her phone screen.

"Lynn! We're home!" A gravely voice projected from the other side of the door. "Come on get some lunch!"

"Alright already, shit..." She mumbled quietly. She fell from her bed onto the hardwood flooring, then staggered to her feet with a black tank top in her hands, slowly she pulled the top over her head, past her bare breasts, with the hem resting just above the waistband of her cotton shorts. Lynn now twenty-one years old lives with Luna and Sam in Seattle, Washington.

"Hey sis... Tough night?" Sam asked Lynn as she stumbled out of her bedroom.

"Yeah... Not going to go to deep..." Lynn remarked as she comically held open her top eyelids.

Luna hugged her younger sister from behind releasing a small hiccup from her diaphragm. The smell of alcohol escaped Lynn's breath.

"How was the show?" Lynn asked.

"It was awesome! Thanks for asking rummy!" Luna remarked at her younger sister's hungover state. She then handed Lynn a dosage cup with an assortment of prescribed medication filling the bottom.

"Seriously? You took my meds with you?" Lynn protested calmly Luna's possession of her medication.

"You know the rules sis..." Luna said as she prepares a bottle of water for Lynn's medication then placed it in front of her. Lynn then snatched the bottle and quickly took the pills, she took a few large gulps of the water then opened her mouth for 'inspection' much to her chagrin.

"All good Lunes..." Sam said as she rubbed Lynn's shoulder in comfort.

"So... What kind of grub did you get?" Lynn asked with a smirk.

"We got you a spicy crab roll, hope that was ok." Luna replied as she combed her mohawk to the side. Lynn broke apart her chopsticks and prepared to eat the sushi brought to her by her sister and sister-in-law. Quickly one by one she consumed each bite then chased the masticated food with a gulp of water.

"So how was work?" Luna asked, garnering a glare from her aggravated younger sister. "Nevermind... No need to say more sis."

"Let's just say... I heard 'Shake it baby!' one too many times so I tossed a mother fucker his beer mug... And it just happened to break the prick's nose!" Lynn exclaimed nonchalantly as she propped her feet on the vacant chair beside her. Both Luna and Sam stared awkwardly at Lynn as she expressed a certain level of impish glee in describing her chaotic night at work.

"So a typical night for a waitress in a strip club?" Sam remarked jokingly followed by a chuckle.

"Well needless to say... Shelley sent me home with the usual 'No worries baby girl, I'll take care of things, get some rest.' and I bet our boss is pretty much pissed...not that it matters.."

Luna said nothing only kissed Lynn's freckled cheek and tightly hugged her much to Lynn's surprise, Luna smiled warmly as she swept her sister's bangs away from her tired, darkened, yet still soulful brown eyes.

"Do you work tonight?" Luna asked.

"Yeah... Not looking forward to hearing George screaming at me for an hour, then go out to hear the same hip hop shit they play on loop every night..." Lynn said in hushed anxiety.

"Well you're not going in, because you're going out with to dinner with us." Luna said insistingly gaining a look of shock from Lynn and a knowing smile from Sam.

"Why? I thought you'd want it to just be you and Sam..."

"Well, Sam suggested it... So what do you say?" Luna and Sam both looked at Lynn awaiting an answer to their invitation. Lynn smiled in defeat realizing the women wouldn't accept 'no' as an answer.

"Alright... But as soon as I get payed, I insist on take you two out..." Lynn said with a smirk.

"Awesome, we'll get cleaned up and ready then head out!" Sam said with excitement in her tone.

The couple then proceeded to their bedroom to change clothing and clean up for their dinner out, Lynn returned to her room likewise. She rummaged through her closet and finally settled on a pair of jeans and a red adidas t-shirt. She lain her attire on her bed then sat down, she paused briefly and then reached under the open space between the bed and the floor and pulled out the same shoebox that she kept under her bed in Royal Woods.

She opened the lid to reveal an outfit meant for a new born, the small shirt was red with bold white font which read 'Momma's little champ' Lynn's eyes became glassy as she felt the old yet familiar sting form in her throat, she placed the shirt on her lap then pulled a picture from underneath a sealed pacifier. Her chin trembled sorrowfully at the sight of the black and white ultrasound photo revealing a fetus, in the corner the font read 'IT'S A GIRL!' Indicating the child's sex. Lynn struggled to fight back the tears as she doubled over at the traumatic event as it reoccurred full force in her mind.

"Les..." The only thing Lynn could whimper as a single tear fell to the cold floor.

 _-To be continued-_


End file.
